


Beneath the Bushes

by orphan_account



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dream Team SMP Setting (Video Blogging RPF), Author is a Toby Smith | Tubbo Apologist, Author is a TommyInnit Apologist (Video Blogging RPF), Bloodvines - Freeform, Cat Hybrid Antfrost (Video Blogging RPF), Demon Darryl Noveschosch, Dream Smp, Eggpire, Gen, Ghostbur, Hybrid Cara | CaptainPuffy, Hybrid Toby Smith | Tubbo, Infected Antfrost, Infected Darryl Noveschosch, Kidnapping, Piglin Hybrid Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Prisoner Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Wilbur Soot, Ram Hybrid Toby Smith | Tubbo, Resurrected Wilbur Soot, Technoblade Hears Voices (Video Blogging RPF), They/Them Pronouns for Eret (Video Blogging RPF), Villain Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, Winged Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), apologies if things are a little ooc, author is new to fanfics go easy on them please, i legit don't know how to tag oh god, tags being added as story is written, tubbo is schlatt's son
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29297802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tommy's had his victory. He's defeated Dream and gotten back his discs and is planning to make a hotel. Everything is finally over... but after going to sleep, Tommy wakes up in Eret's castle, and Eret's got a quest for him. And his family is coming along.OR: SBI + Tubbo go an epic quest to stop the Egg. Yay!! FAMILY BONDING TIME N O WNote: Some things in here are similar to the current Egg plot, but a lot is also very different.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 70





	1. Polished Stone

**Author's Note:**

> Tommy wakes up in Eret's castle, and Eret has to deliver some worrying news to Tommy.  
> Also, his family is there. Let's see how that goes...
> 
> uh apologies if things are kinda wonky n stuff i mostly watch tommy's perspective on things and i only started getting into dream smp mid-november lol
> 
> TW//  
> -Slight panic attack.

Tommy sat on his bench, watching the sunset with Tubbo by his side as Cat played in his jukebox.

He had done it.

He had won.

He had _won_.

The beginning of the Disc War felt like ages ago. It had been a time when the SMP was simpler, before nations and politics were introduced. When it was just a bunch of friends having fun and playing pranks on each other. Sometimes Tommy longed for that version of the SMP, when it was just him and Tubbo fighting Dream, but he knew it would be impossible to return to. Too much pain and trauma to return to simpler and happier times.

And now, here he was. With this ending, maybe those times _would_ come again. Maybe he'd have his happy ending where he'd settle down with Tubbo and manage his hotel. No more wars, no more death, just peace. Tommy missed peace. God, he missed peace.

"Well, looks like this mess is finally over," Tommy said, relaxing as he stretched his body out. He felt satisfied and happier than he had in months, a true smile finally on his face. So much suffering, but at least it was worth something in the end. He had his discs and he had Tubbo. Everything was perfectly fine.

That is, until he went to sleep and woke up in Eret's castle.

He felt himself waking up, could feel the light underneath his eyelids. He hadn't bothered to open them yet, feeling replenished after getting a full night's rest. He hadn't felt so rejuvenated in a while. He had missed when he normally had this kind of energy.

Slowly, he sat up and opened his eyes, blinking as the world came into focus.

Wait a minute. Something was off.

This wasn't his house. This was—no—how.. how did he get here?

This was Eret's castle.

Bitter and painful memories of betrayal resurfaced. He remembered the button in the Final Control Room, how he had so naïvely pressed it. He remembered hearing the phrase "It was never meant to be," as his first life was taken away. He remembered the excruciating pain, then feeling so weak and frail as he gave into the gathering darkness...

He had stopped breathing. Quietly, he urged himself to take a few deep breaths.

He got out of bed and started observing his environment, poking and prodding and opening and searching. He had noticed that he had been fitted with a fresh pair of clothes, soft and clean. He also noticed how breakfast (bread, eggs, and a glass of orange juice) had been left for him on the dresser in the room. Along with that, a note sat beside it.

Tommy picked up the note and read it. He could tell it was Eret's handwriting.

_Hey Tommy._

_I know we're not on the best terms and you're not quite over my betrayal during the L'manburg revolution. I understand that you are still angry over my betrayal, and I won't stop you from feeling that way. What I did was wrong, and I've grown and learned from that. I'm sorry, Tommy. I promise I won't do anything of the sort again. As of now, you're staying in my castle. I've got something to tell you; worrying news. Meet me in my throne room as soon as you wake up and finish breakfast. If you need help finding it, ask Puffy for directions._

_I'm sorry for what I've done._

_-Eret_

Tommy read the note a couple times over, then shrugged. It didn't seem like Eret was trying to hurt him, after all. If they wanted to, they would've done so already, so it seemed like Eret was at least somewhat sorry.

Tommy ate his breakfast, taking his time to savor the food. He hadn't a meal so good in... well, forever. The food in Pogtopia was of underwhelming quality, and the food that he _did_ eat in exile was often stale and dry.

Once Tommy had finished his breakfast, he got up and left. Since he didn't know where to put the plate, he just left it where he found it.

Tommy took a moment to marvel at the castle as he walked through it.

Undeniably, it was beautiful. Marvelous.

Many bricks had been layered, each clearly placed by gentle hands. The floor was spotless, polished to a shining and vibrant gray. Pride flags and banners were in many places, not to mention the alternating rainbow beacons and the massive pride flag waving over the structure.

The place was beautiful. And also felt like a maze. Tommy would _definitely_ need Puffy to help him navigate to Eret's throne room.

While exploring the castle, Tommy bumped into Puffy.

"Oh—sorry, Tommy. Didn't see you there. You alright?" Puffy asked.

"No, I'm fine," Tommy replied, "just need help finding Eret's throne room."

"Well, follow me. Be careful, don't want you bumping into anything else." She let out a laugh that sounded similar to a bleat.

Tommy gave a small smile and followed after Puffy. She went through a bunch of corridors and halls with ease, bringing Tommy to Eret's throne room in a matter of two minutes. Tommy chuckled, wondering how long it would've taken him to find Eret's throne room without her help.

"And here we are," Puffy said, extending a hand to show the room.

"Thanks a lot, Puffy," Tommy replied, slightly nodding at her to show respect.

"Anytime," she grinned. "I'll be off now. Have fun!"

And with that, Puffy walked off, leaving Tommy with Eret.

Notably, Eret was not wearing their crown, and not sitting on their throne. Eret was ruler, so why would they be without such important signs of power? Tommy couldn't help but ask, "Eret, why aren't you wearing your crown?"

"Right now, Tommy, we are in danger. Ruler or not, we are in danger. And in the face of this threat, we are all equal. So, I have no crown," Eret responded, idly tracing a finger along one of the columns holding up the roof.

Tommy couldn't help but feel a burning curiosity accompanied by a strong worry. "What—what is this danger you're talking about?"

"I don't know much about it," Eret shrugged. "All I know is that it's not good. I've gathered enough information to know that it came about sometime during your exile and seems to possess somewhat magical qualities. It was contained shortly, but now it's covering the whole SMP—and my land." They began tapping along the column, before turning around and pacing back and forth. "This thing seems to infect people by making them like it or dislike it. I know that Badboyhalo, Antfrost, Punz, and Skeppy are very much for this thing. They call it the Egg."

The fact that Punz was for this thing, this _Egg,_ somewhat shocked Tommy. Didn't he save him and Tubbo the day prior? However, Eret continued talking, so Tommy didn't ask any questions.

"Sam and Puffy are against it. I am too. I'm not quite sure about you and Tubbo, though. Have you seen this Egg?" With that, the ruler finished their short ramble.

Tommy shook his head. "Nope. Never heard of it. Why are you telling me about this now, though?"

"Well, I would like you to try and learn more about this egg. We need to able to get rid of it somehow. I think that you might be a good candidate for getting rid of it; you're persuasive and could help sway sides. You speak your mind, which is a weakness but also a great strength."

Tommy held his hands up. He would've loved to take Eret's offer, but had to refuse. "I'm sorry, Eret. I just can't do this. I'm planning to start a hotel, and now that all this shit is over I can finally be at rest. I'm not ready for another war right now."

"I was expecting you'd say that, Tommy. Here's the thing, though. You won't be doing this alone. I know enough about you to know that you're a people-person and operate better around others. So, of course, why not send you out with a group of people?"

Tommy had begun to consider Eret's quest now, but had another question. "Who... who'll be going with me?"

Eret gave a wide berth as four people shuffled into the room.

The people?

Technoblade, Philza, Tubbo, and... Wilbur. _Alive_ Wilbur.

The room had seemed empty before, but now it felt too full.

* * *

The resurrection was successful this time.

Ghostbur had hated the last two failed attempts. On the second attempt, some odd power had taken over him ( _Glatt,_ a part of his mind whispered). Luckily, he had gotten over it and returned to normal in about a week.

Now Ghostbur stood in front of the resurrection site, prepared for what would likely be his last attempt at coming back into the living world. He had tried to cover up how anxious he was with a smile.

Phil had brought his diamond sword, the same one that killed Wilbur, and was nervously shuffling his feet as he waited for Eret to arrive. Techno stood beside him, completely silent as he overlooked the L'manhole. Techno still was proud of his work, knowing that no government would continue to corrupt his already broken family.

Ghostbur waved joyfully as Eret arrived, their boots leaving tracks in the settled ash that covered the L'manhole. "Hello, Phil and Techno. Are you ready to start the process?"

"Ready when you are," Phil replied. Though Phil wasn't the most fond of Eret (they were a ruler, and Phil was an anarchist), he still tried to show respect to them.

"Well, I'm ready. Let's get this started."

Techno handed Phil the totem of undying, and Phil proceeded to act out Wilbur's final moments.

The sword slid through Ghostbur's ethereal form, and then he vanished with a pop.

...

...

...

Ghostbur was in a void. It was black, completely black. And he saw a figure before him. He couldn't make out any details, only the basic shape of it. It could be anyone, for all he knew.

He stared at the figure for a while.

Then it _moved_. It was approaching him.

"Uh, hello!" Ghostbur greeted, trying to hide his sudden fear. "I'm Ghostbur! Who are you? Why are you here?"

The figure said nothing. It kept on approaching, getting closer and closer. Some of the details became clearer as it got closer. Ghostbur could now make out that the figure was wearing a trench coat.

And then he could see its, no, _his_ face.

It was him, but alive. It was him, but with a crazed look in his eyes. It was him, but _worse_.

It was why he was still treated cautiously, like a bomb that could go off at any second. It was why people still looked at him with a slight fear in their eyes, despite how friendly he was. It was why Fundy was so ashamed to admit that he was his son.

Ghostbur tried to move away from Wilbur, but he couldn't move. He yelled as he felt like he was _exploding_ , bits of him in every direction, every place, every nook and cranny of the endless void.

And then he was together again.

And then he was alive again.

And then he felt the breeze on his skin, felt the air in his lungs, felt the tears in his eyes that blurred his vision.

He was alive again.

And boy did he want to give a talk to Phil and Techno.


	2. Picking Up the Broken Pieces of a Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil's family isn't perfect.  
> Luckily, Wilbur has reluctantly agreed to join Phil and Techno on a quest with Tommy and Tubbo after having a talk.
> 
> Tommy is shocked but excited to see Wilbur, and wants to be forgiven by Techno and Phil.
> 
> Techno tells Tommy a bedtime story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so like uh apologies if this sucks it probably does
> 
> family stuff here, y'know
> 
> also istg if you think i'm shipping anyone here i will come and take your kneecaps

Phil waited, anxious about whether or not his son would be returning. He was lucky enough that Wil—Ghostbur had been able to recover from what happened last time. He hoped that whatever happened, Ghostbur would return as Wilbur or be completely alright. Phil didn't think he was quite ready to have his son eliminated from the face of the Earth.

The silence felt like it stretched on forever. What was five minutes felt like five hours when fearful anticipation hung heavy in the air.

And then footsteps running towards them.

Everyone looked up, ready to see the visitor.

It was Wilbur.

Everything had gone just right.

Phil opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Wilbur!" he called. "I'm so happy to have you back."

Wilbur didn't respond, though, just glared at him disapprovingly.

Phil dropped his arms and took a step forward. "Wil? What is it? Did we do something wrong? I'm sorry if—"

"You did _everything_ wrong!" Wilbur shouted back.

Phil frowned. "No, you're alive Wilbur, the resurrection went fine—"

Wilbur shook his head. "Not the resurrection, Phil. Being a parent. Phil, you are a _horrible_ dad."

Admittedly, Phil knew he wasn't a perfect father. He hadn't done much to change things, however, as Wilbur and Tommy never protested against his ways that often. More often than not, they proved to be troublemakers. Techno was the only one who was good in the household. Techno didn't use his talents for causing problems, unlike Tommy and sometimes Wilbur. So, of course, Techno received the most attention. Phil thought his sons understood that by causing less trouble, he'd like them more, but they seemed to have not. Phil thought he was a decent father, at least, but not a horrible one.

"Wilbur," Phil held up his hands, trying to calm Wilbur, "you've just come back to life, and this is what you say? Wilbur, we can talk about this later—"

"No, we talk about this _now_. I can't let you get away with your shit parenting anymore. And _you_ ," Wilbur pointed to Techno, "Don't think you're not a problem either."

"What—?" Techno said, breaking the silence he had. "I _helped_ you, Wilbur! You might not realize it now, but I _saved_ you from the government that was tearing _your_ country apart from the inside!"

"You fucking _blew up_ my country! Do you not see Tommy either? Do you not see how you hurt _him?_ "

"It was a lost cause from the moment you died!"

Everyone went silent, and Phil held his hands out, wings spread to bring attention to him. "Boys. Calm down. Eret needs to say something."

Everyone turned to Eret, and they cleared their throat before speaking. "I know you aren't on the best terms right now. But, as ruler, I would like you to unite against a common cause. I think it would be a chance for you to repair rifts in your family, while also saving the SMP from destruction. I've already talked to Phil and Techno about it, and they're on board."

Wilbur shook his head. "No way I'm going on a journey with _those_ assholes." He shot a quick glare in Phil and Techno's direction.

"It won't be just them. Tommy and Tubbo will be there too."

That swayed Wilbur a bit. The moment he had been resurrected and gotten his memories back, he'd been wanting to talk to Tommy. And... take care of Tommy. He knew he hadn't been a good brother to Tommy in the past, but now he wanted to make up for that. Now he wanted to pay that back by becoming the best brother he could.

"Fine. I'll come along and join you in whatever thing you've got for me. Just know that I'm not forgiving _them_ yet."

* * *

Tommy shook his head. _No, this had to be impossible. Wilbur, back? But he died! You_ watched _him die, you saw_ _the sword in his stomach—_

Despite the raging questions in Tommy's head, only one word made it to his lips. "Wilbur?"

And then Wilbur hugged Tommy.

The movement was sudden, and Tommy flinched before realizing that Wilbur meant no harm. He relaxed as he felt his brother, his _alive and warm brother_ , hug him. For second, it was like he was seven and Wilbur was comforting him after a nightmare. The pain of Pogtopia was forgotten, and it was just him and Wilbur, two brothers hugging.

They didn't break away from the hug until Phil had coughed and asked if they were done. Even then, it was reluctant as they stared into each other's tear-filled eyes.

"So," Eret started, "Tommy, how are you feeling about this?"

"I think..." Tommy paused for a moment, trying to find a way to phrase what he was thinking. "I think I'm ready."

In all honesty, he didn't feel completely ready. He wasn't sure about Techno and Phil, but he had been wanting to apologize to them for a bit. He still held a grudge against them, but didn't want to worsen his relationship with them any further. He remembered something from a while back. A memory when he was nine. It was part of why he wanted to apologize to Phil and Techno so bad.

* * *

_Tommy was on Techno's lap as he read a story to him._

_The story was about Theseus, a Greek hero who had done great deeds but died in tragedy. Techno had always loved Greek stories and Greek mythology, and it was his go-to whenever Tommy asked for a story. Sometimes he'd even refer to Tommy as "Theseus", but Tommy always laughed it off._

_While Techno was reading to Tommy, Tommy asked if he could fight. Techno laughed. "You sure about that, Toms? Dunno, I might lose."_

_So Techno got up and gave Tommy a wooden sword, keeping one for himself. "Be gentle, alright? Don't want to end up with any scratches on either of us."_

_Tommy had never really been one to follow rules, so Techno ended up with victory and a couple of scratches on him by the end of their play-fight. And even though Techno had won, Tommy had still enjoyed the play-fight a lot. Tommy asked to do it again, and Techno did. They fought until Tommy eventually got tired and fell asleep on the couch when he was taking a break._

* * *

Techno had gotten to his room and was preparing for the night.

He had been rather against Eret's proposition at first, as Eret was a ruler. That meant government, and Techno had established quite well that he was an anarchist. However, he had agreed when Eret explained that it would not be done under government. That it would just be him and Tommy and Tubbo, and maybe even Wilbur, united against an evil. Plus, the voices liked the idea, so Techno agreed.

Techno admittedly still had a soft spot for Tommy. Despite his betrayal that still felt so fresh, Techno still felt a bit of remorse for Tommy, and longing for their relationship to be repaired. Of course, Techno wasn't planning to make any move to fix it; he had had enough betrayal to know that any attempts would be worthless as Tommy would push him away again.

Techno hadn't forgiven Tommy, though. While he was happy for his brother's victory, he still felt angry over his betrayal. He knew that they were both using each other, that their relationship in the Antarctic Empire was bound to end quickly, but the betrayal still came as a shock.

Techno remembered finding Tommy underneath his house, weak and thin and malnourished. The voices screamed for him to help Tommy, so he did. He nursed Tommy back to health and took care of him—and Tommy betrayed him. And, while Techno didn't like to think it—he had also betrayed Tommy when he teamed up with Dream to destroy L'manburg. In the moment, he hadn't really thought about it, but from Tommy's perspective it had probably impacted a lot of their relationship.

A knock on the door startled Techno and dragged him away from his thoughts. The voices started babbling eagerly.

_Who's that? E. Vistors??!! HUMINA HUMINA HUMINA! Who's knocking?_

"Come in," Techno called.

Oh.

Well, he wasn't expecting that.

Tommy. Tommy was the one who had knocked on his door.

"What're you doing here?" Techno asked. "I thought you had more important business. Preparations n' stuff."

"I, uh," Tommy began, "I wanted to say sorry."

Techno raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"My betrayal at the Community House. It's just—" Tommy started to sob. "I had to pick between you or Tubbo, and— _I didn't know who to choose!_ " Tommy now had his arms wrapped around Techno's waist, and started crying a little harder.

"Tommy, could you not—could you not hug me?" Techno raised his arms.

"S-sorry," Tommy muttered through sobs. "I—I was wondering if you could read a st-story to me? Like old times?"

"Tommy, I'm preparing to go to sleep. I don't read stories to little gremlins like you this late."

Techno was just trying to act like the tough older brother Tommy thought he was, but in reality, he very much wanted to read a story to Tommy. Even the voices encouraged it.

_E! Storytime with Tommy! TommyInnit!! Read him a story. EEE!!! Storytime! YAYYYY!!!_

" _Please_ , Techno?" Tommy begged.

Techno couldn't keep up the whole "tough brother" act and gave in. Might as well have a good moment together. "Alright, Tommy. Get in bed."

Techno started telling Tommy a few Greek myths, ones that Tommy had been told many times before. Techno felt Tommy begin to relax as he told myths and tales and when he was finished—

Oh.

Tommy had fallen asleep.

Techno wanted to move Tommy out of the bed. "Hey, Tommy, I'm done, it's time to go," he whispered. No response. Techno tried to tap his shoulder, but still, he slept. Techno wanted to lift Tommy out of the bed, but decided not to. He knew that Tommy had been through a lot, and expected that he wouldn't react well to waking up in someone's arms.

Guess he'd have to sleep with the little gremlin child for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> br u h  
> expositions suck but i promise things will start picking up soon  
> anyways until actual plotlines comes along have this :D
> 
> anyways, remember that this has infrequent updates and the next chapter could come anywhere in the next few hours to the next few days
> 
> i know the logic in this is shit and the plotholes are numerous but ignore them for my sake :) i'm a bad writer and making things up as i go


	3. Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy wakes up next to Techno.
> 
> Tubbo talks to Eret about something that's been on his mind for a while.
> 
> Wilbur comforts Tommy after a nightmare.
> 
> Everyone prepares for the journey they'll be embarking on soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look i swear plotline will come soon, but i know y'all crave wholesome sbi so uh yeah some of this. I PROMISE THAT THEY'LL FINALLY GET STARTED ON CHAPTER FIVE ALRIGHT
> 
> haha again apologies if this is a little iffy in areas i mainly watch tommy's streams for lore lol
> 
> things may be a little ooc
> 
> again no shipping here, that's weirdchamp

Tommy yawned, once again feeling refreshed after getting a full night's sleep.

Being able to finally sleep without worrying about a threat looming over him had been nice. Sure, there was the Egg, but it wasn't much of a threat now, which meant he could still sleep peacefully. Actually sleep. Not the short naps in exile that always left him more tired than before, not the slightly anxious sleep he had in Techno's cabin, but _sleep_. Sleep where he woke up feeling energetic and ready to take on the world.

He stretched and rolled over, wanting to keep his eyes closed a bit longer. When he did roll over, he was met with hair in his face. He spluttered and sat up, blinking his eyes open to see whose hair it was.

Oh. It was Techno's hair.

He remembered how he had asked Techno to tell him a story the night prior. Honestly, he hadn't expected Techno to oblige, but the pink-haired hybrid did. Tommy didn't even really listen to the stories as he fell asleep, for Ender's sake. It just felt nice to be near his brother.

Despite what Techno did, Tommy understood it had been for a reason. Tommy was beginning to understand Techno's morals, why he was an anarchist. Techno shared his thoughts through violence, and that's how shared his thoughts on government. By blowing it up.

Now Tommy didn't want to join any more nations. For example, when Tubbo offered for him to join Snowchester. Tommy would've loved to join; Tubbo was his best friend, after all. But Tommy refused, as he didn't want another L'manburg. He didn't want to fight another war or be exiled again. He'd already lost enough lives in the name of L'manburg.

In all honesty, the government of L'manburg had caused Tommy much pain, Schlatt and his exile(s) being major examples. Techno was right, government was bad. It was the way he expressed his morals that was wrong.

Techno grunted and shifted in the bed, distracting Tommy from his thoughts.

"G-good morning, Techno," Tommy stuttered, deciding it would be a good idea to greet Techno.

"Mornin', Tommy," Techno replied, not bothering to turn over to face him.

"I fell asleep while you were telling me stories?" Tommy asked, despite knowing that the question was dumb.

"Yeah, of course you did. Why else would you bed in my bed?"

"That was a dumb question sorry," Tommy chuckled halfheartedly, "but uh—why didn't you move me?"

Techno stayed silent. Tommy wondered what he was thinking about. Probably potatoes.

After getting no response from Techno, Tommy moved on. "Uh, alright. Do you want me to go?"

"Mm," Techno grunted.

Tommy took it as an "up to you".

* * *

Tubbo got up from his bed and started to prepare for the day's work. Today he would be getting things together for their journey. Of course, he wouldn't be alone in the preparations; everyone would be helping.

He put on his classic green shirt. While he'd wanted to put on his Snowchester outfit (it was his favorite), it was much too warm here for that type of outfit. He'd just end up sweaty and uncomfortable.

Tubbo took a look in the mirror once he was dressed. They were still there. Ever since they had grown in, Tubbo had been hoping that one morning they'd be gone.

But nope. His horns were still there.

Lately, Tommy had been trying to remind Tubbo that he was nothing like Schlatt. That he was his own person, his own human, and shouldn't have to worry about being like the evil dictator.

But Tubbo didn't think of things like that.

The horns just reminded him of Schlatt. They reminded him of the execution (Tubbo _still_ got nervous around Techno) and Tommy being exiled and Wilbur blowing up L'manburg. Things that were unpleasant. Things that he wished he could forget.

They also reminded him that Schlatt was his dad.

Once he felt the horns start to grow in, he knew it. Who else on the SMP had horns? That only meant one thing: Schlatt was his father. And Tubbo _hated_ that.

Tubbo stopped staring in the mirror, realizing he was getting sidetracked. He still had preparations to make.

Tubbo exited his room, trying to find Eret and everyone else so he could start packing and preparing. There would be a lot of going back and forth, and with how large the SMP was, it would take many days to traverse from place to place. So, of course, they'd need rations and supplies and tents. The likes.

After a bit of wandering, Tubbo found Eret's throne room, where they, Phil, and Wilbur were discussing. At the time Tubbo had walked in, Eret was giving them rations.

Phil grabbed the rations and packed them. "Thank you, Eret. I know we have different views, but I'm glad we can unite against something."

"It's no problem, Phil," Eret responded. Tubbo noticed that they still weren't wearing their crown. It was such a small gesture, but had a lot of meaning.

"Hey," Tubbo waved as he entered the room. "How are things going?"

Wilbur looked up. "Great, Tubbo. We've been talking and gathering stuff for the journey. Don't think you're missing out though; it's boring."

"Boring, but necessary," Phil commented.

"Well, how could I help?" Tubbo asked. He'd come here to be useful, after all.

"We need some wood," Phil said. "Sticks too. Could you get us some? I think I left most of mine back at the cabin."

"Alright, I'll be off, then," Tubbo responded. "I'll need an axe, though. I lost most of my stuff when Dream blew it up two days ago."

Eret held up a finger. "Hold on a moment. I think I have a diamond axe somewhere in my castle. Wait a moment while I get it, yeah?"

Tubbo nodded.

While Eret searched through their castle for their diamond axe, they thought about Tubbo.

His horns.

They had noticed how ever since his horns had started to grow in, he'd always ruffle his hair and make it messy to try and hide them. They felt bad about it; the trait should be something worn proudly, and not shamed away. However, the boy always seemed to try and hide his horns.

They were almost completely sure that they knew why Tubbo hid his horns. Because of Schlatt. They could understand; knowing that your father was an evil and cruel dictator isn't exactly good knowledge. But just possessing horns didn't make you like your father. Tubbo failed to acknowledge that.

Maybe they should talk to Tubbo about it. Explain how Tubbo should embrace his traits, and not hide them.

Eret returned, and held out the diamond axe. Tubbo took it, muttering thanks.

"Would you like it back once I'm done?" Tubbo asked.

They shrugged. "I don't mind if you keep it or not. It's yours; you can decide on whether or not to give it back to me."

Tubbo thanked Eret once again. As Tubbo turned around to leave, they put a hand on his shoulder.

"Mind if I come along for a bit?"

"Uh—no, you can come if you want," Tubbo replied, feeling the need to repay Eret for their kindness.

Tubbo went to the spruce forest nearby and began chopping down trees with the axe Eret gave him. As he chopped, Eret said something that made him pause for a moment.

"Tubbo, are you ashamed of your horns?" Eret asked.

"Well, uh—" he responded, still chopping the tree, albeit at a much slower rate.

"It's okay. I won't judge you, alright?"

What Tubbo said was barely a whisper. "Y-yeah. I just, I don't like them... they remind me of Schlatt."

"Listen, Tubbo," Eret began. "You're not Schlatt, and your horns are not Schlatt. Schlatt is _gone_. He's dead, Tubbo. He has no power over you unless you let him."

Tubbo started working a little faster at the tree.

"I understand that knowing your father was such a cruel man is... shocking, to say the least. Knowing how bad he's been to you, well, anyone would love to forget that their father ever did that. It's no wonder you'd like to. And, well, the horns are a constant reminder of him, aren't they?"

"Yeah," Tubbo muttered. "Every day I hope they'll be gone. But they're always still there and I just... I hate it, Eret."

"It's okay to feel that way, but here's what I think: you need to start viewing things in a different light. Your horns _come_ from Schlatt, but it doesn't mean they're bad. It's just a physical trait, you know? Like Techno's tusks or Phil's wings."

"Yeah but... I'm afraid that people look at me and are reminded of Schlatt."

"Tubbo," Eret said firmly, putting a hand on Tubbo's shoulder. "You have never reminded me of Schlatt, and you never will. You are your own man, Tubbo, and you are not Schlatt."

* * *

Tommy's day was great. That is, until night came. And he had a nightmare.

_He was going down the elevator into the blackstone chamber Dream had built. He and Tubbo were weak, defenseless. Hopeless._

_"Listen, Tommy," Dream commanded as they descended. "Ever since you've joined the server, you've been a headache, okay? You brought war, you brought terrorism, bad everything._ But, _but, the cause of all the war, of everything, was attachment, right? Your attachment to the discs, your attachment to Henry, to pets, to friends, the land, the countries, the items, right?"_

_Everything went the same as it had in 20th, a painful memory. Right up until Tubbo braced for death._

_Punz never came through the portal, and when Tubbo stood beside Dream, he began laughing. "We were never friends, Tommy! Dream is my friend!"_

_And suddenly, Dream attacked Tommy, but then Dream was Wilbur, and Wilbur was shouting "Let's be the bad guys, Tommy!"_

_And the walls were closing in, and suddenly there was a button and Wilbur pressed it and Tommy could hear explosions—wait, where had his armor gone? Tubbo was still laughing and suddenly Tommy was at the beach party and Dream was there saying how he was Tommy's only friend and then he brought out a bow and shot Tommy in the heart and—_

Tommy awoke screaming. "W-Wilby?" he whimpered, pulling in his blanket as he curled up like a small and scared child.

Wilbur burst through the door mere moments after Tommy had awoken. "Tommy? You alright?" he panted, somewhat out of breath as he had come running to Tommy.

"Y-yeah, just a nightmare, that's all," Tommy replied, crying.

"You need big brother Wilby?" Wilbur asked.

Tommy nodded. Wilbur came over and plopped himself on Tommy's bed, where he (slowly) wrapped an arm around Tommy. Tommy started to calm down; crying soon turned into sobbing which soon turned into the occasional hiccup. Tommy's trembling body eventually relaxed.

Wilbur felt Tommy get a lot heavier after a bit. And then he heard Tommy snore. Chuckling softly, he ran his hands through his brother's hair. He was going to try his best to be the big brother Tommy needed. Wilbur had fucked up a lot in life, after all. Perhaps starting L'manburg was not his wisest decision. He definitely regretted putting Tommy in a war when he was so young. It was probably a lot of the reason why Tommy was the way he was now.

Wilbur felt very sorry for what he had done to Tommy. He had recently realized how Tommy never seemed to have a reliable adult figure in his life; they were either evil or betrayed him, or both. Wilbur was ashamed to admit that he was both, but he had promised to make up for it.

His priority used to be L'manburg.

His priority now? Tommy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy
> 
> remember my schedule is crap but next part will be coming soon :) no set time tho
> 
> and again apologies if the plot is weird or bad in some places, i'm making this up as i go and really just throwing whatever sounds good together
> 
> also yes the thing dream says in tommy's nightmare is a direct quote (had to go to the finale vod to get it)


	4. Tick, Tock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream thinks of his imprisonment as he stares at the clock on the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooooooo suck it green bOY
> 
> might be the last chapter i write fo tonight, maybe more though?? look i'm speedrunning these chapters i've already pumped out over 5,000 words
> 
> TW// Manipulation.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

The only thing that entertained Dream in his cold obsidian containment was the clock on the wall.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

The average person would think him sad and defeated. After all, being trapped in an inescapable prison and killed twice by your enemy seemed defeated, right?

He smiled.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

It was all planned. It was supposed to seem unexpected, unplanned, but that wasn't true. Dream had planned to be sent here, planned to have Punz betray him. It was all part of an elaborate plan.

 _Tick, tock. Tick,_ _tock._

And now here he was. His plan was going great. Tommy had won and thought he had reached the end of his tale.

Tommy was mistaken.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

The bloodvines.

Dream had noticed them. The moment they had come into existence, Dream became worried.

Why?

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

It was the only thing Dream _couldn't_ control. It was foreign and new.

People were easy to control. Say some sweet words, and you'd have them right in the palm of your hand. Things such as attachments made it easier.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

So Dream decided that he'd lock himself in the prison. It was inescapable, and he'd be away from the bloodvine's taint. He had already seen the effect it had on Skeppy, Bad, and Antfrost. He shuddered. He'd rather not be in a cult of infected egg-worshipping maniacs.

He had a sickening idea of what it would do in the future, too. And he'd rather not wait to see if it was true.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

The lava flowed down. It always did. Dream would've liked to look at it more often, as it was rather hypnotizing. It always burned his eyes, though. He'd rather not be blind.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

He just had to wait things out here. He was sure he'd be able to keep himself sane in the meantime.

 _Tick, tock. Tick,_ _tock._

Plus, if he wanted to break out, his assistant would help. His assistant always helped.

:)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol 
> 
> yeah i think that dream meant to put himself in the prison. i mean, c'mon like do you really think the homeless man would let himself get imprisoned?
> 
> istg y'all dream apologists better fuck off the green homeless man is evil, y'all are forgetting what he did because he puts on a sad act— /dsmp /rp


	5. Woodland Whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy, Tubbo, Techno, Wilbur, and Phil finally set out on their journey, waving Eret goodbye.  
> When night falls, Tommy is out collecting firewood when he hears Badboyhalo and Antfrost talking...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao y'all getting spoiled rotten with the chapters i'm pumping out rn my god
> 
> anyways, once again sorry if things aren't perfect in areas, i mainly watch from tommy's perspective so
> 
> things to note about this au (especially in this chapter):  
> -the distance between locations takes a lot longer to travel (due to plot reasons and also more family bonding as they travel)  
> -some things may be added/removed in the server (there will be lots of forests added because it seems more authentic with forests)

Techno left his room in Eret's castle, grabbing his armor as he finished the last preparations before the journey. The voices were telling him that he was forgetting something, so Techno checked his backpack again.

Rations? Check.

Supplies? Check.

Medical supplies? Check.

Weapons? Check.

Armor? Check.

Oh. He was so stupid to have forgotten that.

Techno put in a copy of _The Art of War_ and called it done, making his way over to Eret's throne room where they would be saying their goodbyes to the ruler.

Techno wouldn't admit it out loud, but he had grown to like Eret over the past few days. They were undoubtedly kind and generous. Techno knew of what they had done during the L'manburg revolution, but it seemed like they were a completely different person now.

Tubbo and Phil were already there, talking animatedly with Eret. Wilbur and Tommy were still to come.

"Morning, Techno," Phil waved. "Have a good night's sleep?"

"Yep," Techno answered. Techno love-hated how Phil always asked if he had had good rest. Sometimes it made him feel like a child, but other times it made his heart feel warm. "Where are Wilbur and Tommy?"

"Not here yet. Still sleeping, the lazy gremlins." Phil let out a soft chuckle at his own joke.

Techno didn't really know what to say after that, so he let everyone continue their conversations while he only occasionally pitched in. Techno had never been one for social situations.

After some time of discussion, Wilbur and Tommy finally arrived. Tommy was clinging onto Wilbur's shirt, but Wilbur didn't seem to mind.

Techno snorted. "Took you a while. No wonder we're called the Sleepy Boys."

Eret cleared their throat. "Now that we're all here, it's time for you to get going. Feel free to say your goodbyes, or not."

Phil left first. "Thank you once again, Eret. We might have opposing views on government, but I am glad we are able to unite for a greater good."

Tubbo followed after. "Thanks, Eret! You were really helpful and nice. I promise I'll try and talk to you more!"

Wilbur then left. "Eret, I know that you haven't been the best in the past, but I'm glad to see you've changed. You're a different person, Eret. I forgive you."

Tommy still clung onto Wilbur's shirt. "Thanks, Eret," he mumbled.

Techno left last. "Thanks a lot, Eret. I'm no fan of government, but you're a good guy."

And they were off.

* * *

They had already gotten things arranged before they left.

"Alright," Phil said, turning around to face everyone. "Remember, Techno and I are the leaders of this group. Wilbur manages the supplies and these two," he pointed at Tommy and Tubbo, "and Tommy and Tubbo will assist or fulfill any needed roles."

"Dad, I'm not some kid anymore. I don't want Wilbur _babysitting_ me," Tommy protested.

"Tommy, you get into plenty of trouble on your own. With Tubbo, twice as much. Best have someone to manage you guys."

Tommy rolled his eyes and let out an angry puff of air.

"No need for the attitude, Tommy," Wilbur said, putting a hand on Tommy's shoulder. "This'll be fun! It'll be a family on an adventure! Seriously, Tommy. I promise you won't have to go through too much. We'll just get rid of this Egg and be on our way. I doubt it'll be that hard!"

"Wilbur," Tommy started, "L'manburg was created because we tried to make a drug empire. Who knows where this will go?"

"Tommy, I'm trying to be a better brother. I promise I won't make you fight any more wars."

"Boys," Phil interjected, "quiet down, please. I'm trying to find the direction we should go to find this Egg and destroy it."

"How long will it take us to reach this egg?" Tommy asked, curious.

"I'd reckon about three days if we took breaks to rest and eat," Phil answered. "Two days without any breaks. Of course, you _will_ be taking breaks, so about three days."

" _Three days?_ " Tommy and Tubbo both asked, voices in unison.

Everyone laughed at that, and their spirits were high.

They followed the Prime Path for a while until eventually diverging off of it as Phil led them off into an oak forest. "We'll be taking a bit of a shortcut," Phil said. "Will still take a while, just less."

Leaves and sticks crackled and snapped underneath their feet. Sometimes they could hear the footsteps of an animal nearby (maybe a person, but they tried not to wonder too much about that). The vibrant green leaves overhead provided shelter and shade, a canopy covering a majority of the forest, however golden rays of sunlight still managed to make it past the leaves.

After walking for nearly two hours (and receiving a _lot_ of complaints from Tommy and Tubbo), Phil had decided that they'd be taking their first break to eat lunch. They only had a bit of bread, jerky, and water, but it felt like a lively feast. Despite all their past conflicts, everyone was happy to just be together again.

For the first time in a long time, they were a family. A very messed up family, but definitely a family.

Once they had finished their lunch, they talked a bit.

"So," Phil said, looking at Tommy, "how was the twentieth? I heard you got your discs back."

"Well, we fought Dream. He almost had us defeated for a bit, but we kicked his ass straight to prison." It was an explanation rather lacking in any detail, only giving the basic idea, but Phil took it anyway.

"Prison?" Phil raised an eyebrow. "God, I've been gone from the SMP for a little too long."

"Sam was commissioned by Dream to build a huge, inescapable prison. The thing is fucking massive and scary. And, well, Dream's inside of it."

"Sounds scary," Phil replied. "Great to know that green bitch is locked up for good."

"Trust me Phil, I'm glad to see him gone too," Techno chimed in. "Didn't like teaming up with him that one time. That guy is all kinds of creepy."

Tommy tried to change the subject. He'd rather not dive into the list of weird things that Dream did. Despite the fact that Dream was... well, _gone_ , Tommy still wasn't over exile. "So, how are you feeling about this journey? What really convinced you all to come along?"

Phil shrugged. "Seemed exciting. Plus, I'm getting old. Might as well go on a few adventures before I'm not able to."

"Hm," Techno pondered. "You see, I've always loved the whole idea of quests. Reminds me of Greek myths and the quests they'd go on." Techno didn't include the fact that he had been wishing to make things up with Tommy and Tubbo, say sorry for blowing up L'manburg.

"Well," Wilbur began, "I wanted to see you again, Tommy. Going on an adventure with you? Ender, I haven't done that in a while. I think that having an experience like this would be a good first step to becoming a better brother."

Tubbo was last to answer. "Well, it's always been us together. Throughout pretty much... everything, really. I wouldn't leave you to do a quest on your own. Not even for Snowchester."

Tommy smiled at what Wilbur and Tubbo had said, glad that he had lightened the mood more.

Night had come. Phil and Techno had worked on setting up camp as Wilbur gathered firewood with Tommy and Tubbo.

Tommy had gone a bit astray, trying to search a little further out for some good wood to use. He came across a decently sized stick and sprinted to pick it up, as if someone else had spotted it too. He grabbed it and added it to the growing pile of sticks in his arms.

He turned around, ready to search for more sticks, when his heart stopped and he froze.

He heard voices talking, conversing.

 _Familiar_ voices.

Tommy crouched down, trying to pick up what the voices were saying. He could tell that one of them was Badboyhalo, but he couldn't quite make out the other.

"I think that...is best for the Eggpire," Badboyhalo said, most of his words lost to the night.

 _Eggpire?_ Tommy thought. _Sounds weird._

"Definitely," the other voice responded, and Tommy could tell that it was Antfrost. He had never really talked with the man that often, so it took him longer to recognize the voice. Antfrost continued, "It would give us more power and influence, and then we can...the Dream SMP."

Tommy felt furious. Of _course_ , the most important parts of the conversation were the bits he couldn't pick up on.

Just as Tommy thought that, the next thing he heard made his blood turn ice cold.

"Maybe we could infect someone close to Tommy? Then...and then we can..." Bad replied, most of his words lost because of Tommy's sudden panic, but enough heard.

 _Infect_ someone? Tommy had remembered how Eret had told him that Bad and Ant were very pro-Egg. So were they planning on infecting someone with the Egg? Tommy's speculation was interrupted by Ant's response.

"Good idea, Bad. The Egg is good, I'm sure Tommy will understand."

There was a moment of silence before Bad broke it. "We need more firewood, Ant. Could you go get some? I'll stick around and watch over camp."

Tommy scurried off, knowing that being found by either Bad or Ant would have bad consequences.

Tommy had to tell his friends about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is like the last chapter for tonight prolly
> 
> lol uh
> 
> again again haha sorry if there are plotholes anywhere i'm literally just throwing together a bunch of words and hoping it sounds nice
> 
> uh yeah lotr may or may not have inspired a part of this


	6. Scrambled Eggs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur, Tubbo, and Tommy get lost.  
> Bad and Ant are looking for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eggs mmmmm scrambled eggs sunny side up eggs fried eggs omelettes eggshells hard-boiled eggs raw eggs and CURSED EGGS
> 
> yes, badboyhalo is his canon height in this.

Techno had been waiting for Wilbur, Tommy, and Tubbo to return for a bit. It had been around an hour, so why hadn't they returned yet? Even the voices were beginning to get worried.

_Egg? Bad things. Egg. Is little brother Tommy okay? OOH, I LOVE EGGS!!_

"Phil?" Techno asked. "Do you think they're alright?"

"Who—?" Phil asked for a moment, before realizing who Techno was referring to. "Oh, yeah. I think they'll manage. Wilbur's with them, and well, you've seen how caring Wilbur has grown for them. They'll be okay."

Silence fell again.

* * *

Things were _not_ okay.

Wilbur was collecting some last few sticks when Tommy came sprinting back towards him, eyes wide with fear and worry.

"Tommy, what is it?" Wilbur asked, concern bubbling at the pit of his stomach.

Tommy panted as he quickly spouted out everything. "I just—Wilbur, I overhead Badboyhalo and Antfrost talking. They—they were talking about some Eggpire, and infecting someone close to me—"

Wilbur had barely been able to catch anything Tommy was saying with how fast he was talking. "Slow down, Tommy. I need to understand what's going on. Repeat what you just said, but slower."

"Well, I was collected firewood as you asked when I overhead Badboyhalo and Antfrost talking. They were talking about some Eggpire and infecting someone close to me. Bad asked Ant to get some firewood, 'cause they needed some, and that's when I ran off," Tommy explained, still talking quite fast but at least somewhat coherently.

"What the fuck is an _Eggpire?_ " Wilbur asked.

"Dunno—I think it's some cult they have surrounding that Egg," Tommy replied.

"Shit. That just made things a lot harder," Wilbur groaned. "Well, why are they going to try to infect one of us?"

Tommy shook his head. "No clue. I wasn't able to catch enough of their conversation."

"Guys," Tubbo interrupted, "if Antfrost is in the woods, we should probably head back to our camp."

"I was going to do that in a moment, but yeah, let's go back," Wilbur turned around and started navigating the woods back to their tiny camp, and Tommy and Tubbo trailed behind him.

"Did you learn anything new about the egg?" Tubbo asked, trying to occupy themselves with something as they walked.

Tommy shook his head. "Nope. I wasn't able to catch a lot of what they were saying."

"Darn," Tubbo commented, not really knowing what else to say.

The way back to camp seemed longer than they remembered. Wilbur swore he hadn't been in this area before. A thought came across his mind, but he pushed it out of his head as he continued to try and find the way to camp. He could worry about that later. The path they were taking was getting longer and longer, and Wilbur was beginning to feel tired and sleepy.

 _Got to stay awake_ , he thought. _Don't want to fall asleep and leave things to Tommy and Tubbo._ Though he very much would've liked to doze off right then and there, he forced his eyes to stay open and aware.

Eventually, Wilbur gave up his search.

The thought from earlier came back again.

_Were they lost?_

He'd had one job, _one_ job, which was to get firewood. And he'd fucked it up. He'd fucked it up in the worst way possible. Now they were lost and there could be egg-worshipping maniacs on their trail. Wilbur wasn't sure how stealthy Tommy had been when listening to Bad and Ant's conversation, but knowing the kid, he probably hadn't been that discreet. Tommy wasn't exactly known for his stealth.

Wilbur could hear Tubbo's voice from behind him. "Wilbur? Why have you stopped?"

Wilbur sighed. "I—I think we're lost. Sorry. I failed."

The silence that his words brought only made him feel more guilty.

"We'll—we'll find Techno and d-dad eventually, right?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah, I hope so," he answered.

Wilbur caught on to Tommy's use of "dad" immediately but decided not to comment on it. It would probably be least awkward if he kept silent about it.

Tommy hadn't referred to Phil as "dad" since—well, Wilbur couldn't even remember. Phil had been neglectful with him and Tommy ( _especially_ with Tommy), so they'd never really had that father-son bond that should be in every family. The only person who truly had that type of bond with Phil was Techno.

Wilbur set down the sticks he had collected and got to work on starting a fire. As he worked, he talked. "Right now, we need to stay put. Ender knows where we are now, and we don't want to risk getting any more lost. So we'll set up camp here for the night. I'm also afraid that Bad and Ant may be on our trail, so I recommend that we have two people to watch over us. Alternating, of course."

Tommy started piling his sticks next to Wilbur. "Who's gonna keep guard?"

"Tubbo and me. I'll take watch first. You guys need your rest. I can wait."

Honestly, Wilbur _couldn't_ wait for rest. His head felt fuzzy and his eyelids were getting heavy, threatening to close any second. But he'd put himself up for first watch. Once it was finished, _then_ he'd be able to sleep.

He took a glance back at Tommy and Tubbo, who were setting down their sleeping bags. "Goodnight guys. Tubbo, I'll wake you up when it's your turn to keep watch."

The first hour or so was bearable. Tough, but bearable.

Occasionally, Wilbur would hear a snap of a twig or a rustle in a bush, and his head would snap up, but he just chalked it down to an animal wandering in the night. After all, they were in a forest. Of course they'd hear a few noises every once in a while.

Wilbur had been careful to keep the fire going. He didn't want Tommy or Tubbo to wake up freezing cold. Thankfully, the wind was calm tonight, so the fire wouldn't be blown out. Wilbur thanked Ender for that.

During the second hour, things started to become a little too much.

Wilbur was already tired. His movements had become slower, and he had become less alert. Sometimes it would take him a few moments to look up and react to the sound of a twig breaking. He also probably missed a couple noises in his exhausted state, but there was no way to confirm it. He yawned _very_ often.

Sometimes he'd see a flash in his peripheral vision, but he figured that it was his tired mind playing tricks on him.

Wilbur needed rest. Being resurrected was not a light process. Death was supposed to be permanent, so reversing it would definitely have some effects on his body. Because of this, Wilbur needed rest more than ever right now.

His watch would end soon though, and he'd pass it on to Tubbo. He'd rather wait until he physically _couldn't_ stay awake any longer before waking Tubbo, however. He felt as if he was beginning to reach that point, but he continued to force himself to stay awake.

He had been yawning frequently now. He had counted fifteen times in the last five minutes, trying to find some way to occupy his tired brain.

Ender, his eyelids were heavy.

So was his body.

* * *

Bad was searching throughout the forest, trying to find whoever had made that noise.

He had noticed it as he was talking with Ant, but had originally thought it was some sort of animal. Then he heard the breathing, and he knew that _someone_ was there. He'd asked Ant to get firewood as a setup for catching whoever had listened in. Unfortunately, the search so far had yielded no results. The only true evidence that someone had been listening in on them was a snapped branch near their campsite.

Now would be a good time to search for whoever it was. Assuming that they were human, they would be asleep now. With Bad being a demon and Ant being a cat hybrid, they thrived in the night. The time for searching was now.

Bad peeked in every bush, looked in every tree (it was easy, considering his height), every place that someone might be hiding. Every time, he only found air.

It was two and half hours into their search until they found something meaningful.

Bad was still searching as he had been for the past few hours when he heard Ant whisper. A normal person could've mistaken it for the breeze, but Bad's above-average hearing helped him understand it clearly.

"Come."

Bad made his way over to the source of the sound, treading quietly along the forest floor. Despite how tall and large he was, it was surprising how silent he could be.

He could make out Ant's form, peeking behind a tree. Ant noticed him and turned around. "Bad, come and see this." He whispered the words with a grin on his face.

Bad crouched down to Ant's height and looked.

He immediately noticed Wilbur leaning against a tree. Judging by how things looked, it seemed he had fallen asleep while on lookout. Dying embers of a fire showed that he had fallen asleep sometime recently.

There were two odd shapes on the ground, which Bad observed to be sleeping bags with people in them. Tommy and Tubbo, to be exact.

He turned to look at Ant, who had a triumphant look in his eyes. _Perfect,_ Bad mouthed back. _Who should we get?_

_Tubbo,_ Ant mouthed in reply, _he'll be best._ _Getting Tommy on our side will be easier if we have Tubbo_.

* * *

Tommy woke up in his sleeping bag that morning. He hadn't fallen asleep easily that night. The bed in Eret's castle was much more preferable to a sleeping bag on the ground. Tommy had grown used to sleeping on the ground, though. Perhaps a little _too_ used to it for a child like him.

Birds were chirping, a sound that reminded Tommy of hope and peace. There was a light wind, enough to make his face feel cool but not sting it.

He rolled over in his sleeping bag. "Morning, Tubbo," he said, not bothering to open his eyes yet.

Wilbur's voice cut through the moment. "Uh, Tommy..."

Oh no. The tone Wilbur had... something bad had happened.

Tommy shot upwards, now up and alert, very different from the way he had been moments ago. Waking up that fast was something that only war could teach you. "Wilbur? What is it?"

"Well, while I was on lookout, I fell asleep. I was foolish, and tried to push myself to stay awake until I could barely keep my eyes open. Of course, I fell asleep and... I'm so sorry, Tommy."

Tommy felt a lump in his throat. "A-and?"

"Tubbo's gone."

Wilbur hung his head low, clearly ashamed. Tommy wasn't that quick to jump to a bad conclusion, however. "Maybe Tubbo's just gone out without telling us. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"No, Tommy. Tubbo doesn't just abandon people without saying anything. And... there are signs that there was a bit of a struggle."

Worry crept into Tommy's mind. He didn't want to believe this. He had just started an adventure, been reunited with his family—and now Tubbo was missing. No. Wilbur must've just assumed the worst of things, right? Wilbur had always been a bit of a pessimist.

Wilbur grabbed Tubbo's sleeping bag and handed it to Tommy. He observed it.

The thing was green, the same as it had been last night when Tubbo slept in it. The only difference?

There were holes torn in the sleeping bag, white stuffing spilling out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eggggggggggs  
> brrt skrt skrrt brt
> 
> also btw any kudos are appreciated, it really inspires me bc i'm new to this whole fanfic business and knowing y'all like it makes me happy and motivated :]
> 
> once again, sorry if the plot is bad in any areas. this is made purely for fun and well, yeah there's gonna be plotholes lol because i'm writing this as i go
> 
> i also totally forgot the word "lookout" existed for part of this chapter lmao

**Author's Note:**

> next chapter will come soon (if i remember lol). this will likely have infrequent updates as i don't have a schedule and am absolute shite at keeping a schedule.  
> also like i'm kinda new to this whole fanfic business and doing this just for fun so yeah this might be a little underwhelming in quality.


End file.
